Mourinho questions penalty escapes

FRUSTRATED Jose Mourinho claimed it was “forbidden” for Manchester United to concede penalties or Chelsea to win them after watching his side miss the chance to close the title race gap to one point. Chelsea were well below their best in a goalless draw with Newcastle at St James’ Park which leaves them three points adrift of United.

FRUSTRATED Jose Mourinho claimed it was “forbidden” for Manchester United to concede penalties or Chelsea to win them after watching his side miss the chance to close the title race gap to one point.

Chelsea were well below their best in a goalless draw with Newcastle at St James’ Park which leaves them three points adrift of United, but Mourinho was annoyed that his side had not been awarded a 10th-minute penalty for handball against full-back Stephen Carr.

Mourinho, who insisted speculation over his future was “over” after reassurances from Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon, went into the match already feeling aggrieved that Sir Alex Ferguson’s men had survived strong spot-kick appeals in Old Trafford clashes with Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.

“It is not possible (for) penalties (to be awarded) against Manchester United, and it is not possible (to get) penalties in favour of Chelsea,” claimed the Chelsea boss.

“If somebody punishes me because I tell the truth, it is the end of democracy, we go back to the old times.

“Nobody can punish me because I say it (the Carr handball) was a penalty. At Old Trafford, it was a penalty yesterday (when John O’Shea felled Lee Dong-Gook). It was a penalty today, so we are speaking about points, unless the goalkeeper saves the penalty.”

Roeder

Mourinho admitted that Chelsea had not deserved to win against Glenn Roeder’s men but reasoned that had a penalty been given against Carr it would sparked a very different performance from his side.

“Newcastle did not deserve to lose, but one view is the game we saw and another is the one we could have seen. If the score was 1-0 (to Chelsea) after 10 minutes, the game would naturally be different.

“I am suggesting nothing, I am speaking just facts. It looks like it is forbidden to give a penalty against them (United) and in our favour.

“I am not speaking about a conspiracy, I am speaking about facts. If I speak about a conspiracy, I have to prove the conspiracy, and because I do not prove it, I am punished.

“I want to be pragmatic. If one of you tells me it was not a penalty against Sheffield United, if one of you tells me it was not a penalty against Middlesbrough and if one of you tells me it was not a penalty against Newcastle, we need to go to our optician.”

Mourinho’s comments came just days after Kenyon sought to end speculation over the manager’s future by confirming he will remain in charge next season amid speculation that Jurgen Klinsmann had been approached to take over.